Demons Only One
by razra
Summary: With the awakening of the 14th, Edward Elric opened his eyes and greeted the world.
1. Awakening

Spoilers: The ends of the animes for both series and a bit of the manga for DGM.

Summary: DGM/Fullmetal Alchemist crossover. With the awakening of the 14th, enter Edward Elric.

* * *

**Demons Only One**

**Chapter 1: Awakening**

"You are the 14th, Allen."

It had been a year since the proclamation, and there had been no change in the child since. He had been depressed awhile, confused no doubt, but he soon reverted back to his normal self, eating everything in sight.

But it had been a year and nothing had happened. Doubts became to linger in the air. Was Allen really the 14th? Our guards dropped.

* * *

"So tired…" Allen muttered, collapsing on his bed. "Why am I so tired? It's been so hard to stay awake lately…"

_Who are you?_

Allen sat up with a jolt. "W-what?" He looked around his room but didn't find anything unusual.

_Ah, I see. You are me… Rather, the "me" had I been born into this world. That's why you were chosen. _

The voice seemed to be muttering to himself. Allen's eyes narrowed. "Are you the 14th?"

_14__th__? I guess that is one way to put it. Hey, will you let me use your consciousness? There is something that I must accomplish without fail, no matter what. _There was a pause._ I suppose what I should really say is, sorry, but I'll be taking over now… But don't worry, I have no intention of hurting anyone here. _

Falling back into the bed, the consciousness known as Allen Walker was no more. With the morning brought the awakening of the Noah.

* * *

"Allen? Allen? Don't you think you've been sleeping enough?" Lenalee knocked several times on the door, but there was no answer. She frowned, looked over at Lavi, who came because he was worried, and Link, who came because it was his job. She tried the handle, and the door opened, squeaking a little in complaint.

Inside was someone who looked remarkably like Allen, but looked so completely wrong at the same time that it was obviously not their friend. His scar was still apparent in the morning light, and his arm was still the same, or what could be seen through the mess that was the white dress shirt, but he had golden hair rather than white. He was slumped against the wall on the bed staring out the window.

Blank gold eyes slowly turned to look at them. "Hey, do you think you could remove this Innocence? I've been trying to get rid of it all night but it just won't decompose. It makes it really hard to function."

"You… You're the 14th then?" Link stepped forward ready to kill him if he proved to be an enemy.

The boy frowned. "Why do you people insist on calling me that? I would prefer to be called…"

He paused and seemed to have an internal debate.

"Fullmetal. Call me, Fullmetal."

* * *

Notes: Freaking plot bunnies wouldn't leave me alone unless I wrote a little bit… Which is really bad for me because I have an essay due in two days!

Title is from Magnetic North's song, Demons Only One.

Anyways, review?


	2. Robotica

**Demons Only One**

**Chapter 2: Robotica**

He wished they would leave him alone. Seriously, if they weren't going to remove the Innocence, then they should just leave so he could deal with the transformation in blessed silence. As it was, he had a splitting headache where the stigmata were slowly forming, and he couldn't control his body at all, let alone his vision, which showed multiple blobs that Ed could only assume were furniture and people.

The blond gritted his teeth against the pain and felt a small trickle of blood slowly travel down his forehead. The pain doubled two-fold and he nearly screamed; only the thought that this is what he deserved and that this was nothing compared to the pain he made Al and his friends go though back in Amsteris made him bite his screams back, only allowing a silent scream to escape his lips. He couldn't decide what was worse: his automail surgery or this transformation. Somehow, it felt the transformation was much, much worse, but logic told him that time made his memory of the pain fuzzy.

Somewhere beyond the haze of pain, someone yelled for Komui and the Inspector.

"No, go away," Fullmetal growled through gritted teeth; he an inexplicable repulsion at the thought of Inspector, but his warning sounded so weak compared to his pounding head that he wondered if they had heard him at all. He felt more blood stream down his face and it slowly turned into a small stream of crimson. The air felt saturated with the scent of iron, and he heard someone gag and hold back a cry. The blond suddenly felt a deep sense of regret and sin; he took someone else from their family, didn't he? He made someone else cry because he could not let himself die.

He slumped forward in physical and mental pain, clutching his head with his right hand (his left hand refused to obey him). Soon, the pain abated slightly, but his head still throbbed. Then a new wave of pain shot through his body. He felt his back arch, and his head cracked against the stone wall behind him. He gave a small cry of pain, but quickly cut it off, nearly biting his tongue off the in process.

For a moment, the world came into sharp focus, and he saw a woman sobbing on the floor, two - no - four men, as two just appeared at the door with shallow breathes, and then the world faded in darkness.

_Thank...God...._

Lavi watched the Noah slip into unconsciousness and felt a mild sense of relief; though the boy did not cry out, his unfocused eyes spoke of agonizing pain. Just watching him made Lavi want to clutch his own head and scream, but if he felt like that then Lenalee... His eyes snapped to the female exorcist. Almost immediately, he looked away. If observing the Noah who looked like Allen was painful, then watching Lenalee was like a living hell because at least 'Allen' no longer really looked like 'Allen,' but Lenalee was still Lenalee, a precious friend. It was also worse because he knew what was going through her head; she was watching her world shatter and shrink.

She had slumped to the floor in disbelief and was crying. However, as the air was saturated with the stench of blood, she began to gag. Lavi had to admit, the stink was lethally strong; he could taste the iron in his mouth.

"So it's begun." Inspector Levrier had arrived and Lavi could only assume that Link had somehow contacted him.

"Yes, sir."

Lavi turned to look as the Inspector and Link talked in hush voices. In his peripheral vision, he saw Komui go comfort his sister.

"This will be a good opportunity to learn about the Noah. Monitor him."

"Sir."

"And get me when he fully awakens. I want to question him."

"Yes, sir," Link repeated, bowing the Inspector out.

Lavi nearly growled at them. Of course, they would be the only ones who would think about that at a time like this! Sometimes, he wondered if the individual pieces of the chess board ever mattered to them; it can't be called a victory if you only have one pawn left! Miffed, he turned back to study the Noah, but he - Fullmetal? - remained unmoving with blood streaming in rivulets down his head and dripping onto his clothes, almost as if he were dead. The only indication that he was still living were the shallow rickety breathes that seemed to echo off the walls.

Komui helped Lenalee to her feet, looked at Lavi and grimly said, "I'm going to take Lenalee to her room. Please take care of... Him..."

"I will." Komui nodded and left the room supporting a sobbing Lenalee.

Lavi leaned against the wall, preparing for a long wait, he felt Link do something similar, and thought about what he had seen. He would need to report to Gramps later.

Lavi cursed softly under his breathe and glared at Fullmetal. Dammit! It wasn't fair! Why did the 14th have to choose Allen?! Why couldn't he choose someone who didn't deserve to live? It just wasn't fair! Not after he had finally found people he was willing to give his life for! To give up becoming the Bookman...

The blond head seemed to move, but suddenly stopped, making Lavi wonder if he could feel Lavi's hate directed at him. However, he lifted his head to look at Link and then at Lavi. Well, to look in the general direction would be more appropriate since it still seemed like the bastard couldn't see.

Suddenly, his skin turned gray, the stigmata grew more apparent on his forehead, and his hair turned a pitch black making the child cringe in pain. Then, just as fast as it appeared, it disappeared. Slowly, some clarity seemed to return to his golden eyes, and it appeared as though the bleeding stopped. If there was any lingering pain, he gave no indication that it was there.

"Well, that was unnaturally quick." The whisper was quiet and carried across the room easily. "Or maybe..." He looked down at Allen's left arm and frowned, hmming to himself. He idly swiped at the blood that was now drying and looked over at Link. "Were you going to get that bastard or do I get time to relax before being interrogated to hell?"

Link looked at a pocket watch before answering, "I think we'll wait. He'll be up soon enough anyway."

Lavi blinked and looked out the sole window in the room. He hadn't realized that so much time had passed. It had been nearly 10 hours since Lenalee had opened the door. He had been up all night. Anger flared up within Lavi with the thought of Lenalee's suffering.

"I have a question for you, before they come," Lavi nearly growled, turning his attention back to the Noah. "Why Allen? Why couldn't it be someone else?!" Uneasy golden eyes flicked to his hammer and Lavi realized that he had been gripping it to the point where his knuckles were white. Nevertheless, he didn't loosen his grip on his Innocence.

"That's because... He's the closest to me, and I don't mean physically. For all I know, he could have been on the opposite side of the world at the time of my… death. What I mean is that we are similar in terms of our... I guess you would call it spirit."

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

"In other words, had I been born... here, I would be this person known as 'Allen.' He and I are the same and yet, we are not. It's kind of hard to explain. I think it would be better for everyone to be here. If I start with the origin of the Noah, it might make more sense."

"The origin of the Noah..." Link breathed in sharply. This could be what they needed to win the never-ending war.

"You bas-" Link grabbed Lavi before he could pummel the Noah.

"Calm down."

"Shut up." Lavi ripped out of Link's grip but didn't attempt to go any closer to Fullmetal.

"Well, it's about time that the Inspector is up anyway. Lavi, go get him."

"Why –"

"Because you can't be trusted to be alone with Him can you?" Lavi shot him a glare and stomped out of the room.

Link sighed a little in relief. He hoped that Lavi would use this time to cool his head before approaching the Noah again or they might lose a valuable resource… Or resources, depending on the outcome of such an encounter...

"Hey. Do you think I could wash my face? This blood is getting sticky and disgusting."

"Huh? Oh. If you make it quick. The Inspector will be here soon." Link motioned for the Noah to follow him, and without looking behind, though Link stayed firmly aware of the blond's movements, he quickly led him to the bathroom.

"Thanks," Fullmetal muttered, scrutinizing his face with a small scowl before turning on the faucet and splashing water on it with only his right hand. Link noticed that the child seemed unable to move the Innocence-bearing arm. Once cleaned, he looked at his reflection again and froze. His hand slowly went up to lightly touch Allen's scar. "I-it can't be..." he muttered softly, eyes widening. He traced the lines with a finger, and his shock turned into a gentle smile, much to Link's surprise. "I see. It seems entirely possible.

"Well, don't you think it's time to go back?" Fullmetal grinned at Link, and they made their way back to Allen's room. Link couldn't help but stare at the Noah wondering what the hell had just taken place and why he seemed so happy, but before he could present a question, they arrived back at the room.

"Why, good morning, Inspector." Fullmetal mockingly saluted the man to which said man responded with a glare and a frown. The Noah grinned at his response and settled down on the bed, noting that Komui and several other exorcists now crowded the room. He glanced at them and grew serious.

"First, before you start," – he held up a finger – "I run on equivalent exchange. For every question you ask, I'll ask for something in return. If you agree to these terms, you may begin." The blond settled back into the bed.

"Very well." Levrier leaned forward. "What are the Earl's goals and/or plans?"

"I don't know." He frowned. "I was untrustworthy within his ranks, being the 'youngest,' and then I went and turned on him so quickly."

"Then why did you turn against the Earl?"

"He got in the way of my goal." Fullmetal scowled. "I was so close too... My turn. I want to confirm the origin of this." He pointed to Allen's scar. Levrier looked at Komui to explain.

"When Allen lost Mana, the Earl offered to bring him back. Allen agreed, turning Mana into a demon. He cursed Allen," Komui briefly explained.

"Mana?" Fullmetal frowned and looked off to the side thinking.

Everyone in the room shifted and looked at each other confusedly. "Your older brother," Komui added, watching the young Noah perplexedly.

"Ah, I see. So that's what he called himse – WHAT?! OLDER?" Fullmetal was suddenly standing on the bed, his right hand in a fist. "WHO'S SO SMALL THAT HE COULD BE A HUNDRED YEARS OLDER AND NEVER BE CONSIDERED THE OLDER BROTHER?!!?!"

The room stared at Fullmetal, and several of the exorcists pulled out their weapons and had them pointed at him (namely Kanda and Lavi). Noticing the weapons, the youth plopped down with a huff, and grumbled, "Just because he's taller doesn't mean that he's older."

After a long silence, the questioning resumed. "What about your goal?"

"Save some friends and go home. I want a box of chalk."

The people looked at each other questioningly before turning their attention back to the interrogation. "Are you saying the Earl has hostages to make the Noah work for him?"

"No, not at all. They work for him willingly, I guess." He shrugged. "I won't pretend to know what goes through their minds; I didn't even understand it myself. I need lots of metal. It can be scraps, I don't care."

"You mentioned the origin of the Noah to Link and Lavi?"

"Ah. Of course. Well, I can't say that I know all of their origins..." His eyes got a distant look to them. "Let's say this. Noah aren't demons, but they aren't really human either, according to what you've witnessed, correct? Well, that's because they aren't from _this_ world. When people from another world come here, they become Noah. Don't ask me for the reason; I'm not sure I quite understand it myself even though I have theories...

"I'm afraid it's for this reason that I'm this child's body." He looked at Lavi and the other exorcists. "If I were to be born into this world, I would've been Allen Walker. He and I share the same…spiritual wavelengths, I guess you can call it. When I was dying, my soul searched for an equivalent container, and it found Allen Walker.

"I want the use of a large room. It needs a ceiling... and four walls, in case." He grimaced. "How much longer is this going to take? I'm getting bored and hungry."

"Then just one more thing for today – are you willing to work with the Dark Order?"

"As long as you don't get in the way of my goals. If you do, I'll have to destroy you."

* * *

"Where…?" Allen lifted an arm to his head to try and still the pulsing headache.

"So you're alive." Allen swiftly looked over to see a boy – he seemed older than himself somehow even though Allen was sure that he was shorter – lounging on a white fence. He was wearing a red coat and all black clothes underneath; his blond hair was attempting to escape his braid in the soft breeze. It was then that Allen noticed that he was lying in a field of grass. Further inspection showed that he was in what looked like the countryside with small houses dotting the horizon. "I'm actually relieved. I didn't want another body on my conscience. Al would kill me, but I guess you knew him as Mana Walker. What a strange name to choose."

Allen sat up abruptly and froze; the world was spinning around him. "You – you're the 14th?! Where did you take me?! And why am I alive?" Allen quickly calmed down as confusion marred his features.

"Yes," the blonde rolled his eyes. "I'm the detestable 14th, and this is my memory of a place I remember well." He looked wistfully around, and Allen took another look at the scenery; he had to admit, it was very peaceful: Behind the fence were fields and fields of plowed land, and in the distance, cows could be seen grazing; the breeze carried the sounds of their bells to the two boys. Behind Allen was a small path that winded up to a house.

"As for why you're alive, I believe that your Innocence saved you." Gray eyes met gold ones. "I'm still debating whether I should try to remove your arm or not. For one, it would protect you from me ever gaining full control and destroying your mind, and I would be freer to move about; somehow Innocence is messing with my motor functions. On the other hand, your arm could prove quite useful in the battle against the Earl and the other Noah, but then there's the whole other matter of what the hell Innocence is even made of and should I mess with that?" He shrugged, watching Allen who was gaping back at him. "I'll let you think about it."

The blond hopped off the fence and began to walk towards the house, the scenery around him fading into Allen's room in the Dark Order. "Wait!" Allen called. "What is your name?"

"What? 14th isn't good enough?" He gave a wry grin. "You can call me Fullmetal." With that, he opened the door and shut it behind him, leaving Allen in his room looking at his mirror where the countryside could still be seen.

* * *

Notes: When I think about it, this and the first chapter should be combined, among some other things... I wish I were a better writer..

And why won't this plot leave me alone?! I have an exam in a ddaaayyyyyyyy!! Leave me alone you demonic plot bunnies!

Chapter title is Clazziquai's Robotica.

Please review? And I can't decide if Ed should keep the arm or not... Uughhh...


	3. Field of Innocence

**Demons Only One**

**Chapter 3: ****Field of Innocence**

Regrets. Pain. Anguish. Stupidity. Uncertainty. Mistakes. More regrets. He didn't want to make another mistake. He didn't want to regret anymore, but with his past, it was impossible. If only he had the knowledge now back when he was a child, he would never have tried to bring back mother, the catalyst that initiated this path paved with blood and tears of a millennium. Maybe then, he never would have been corrupted when he fell through to this world, destroying countless lives when he had not been in control of his mind. If it hadn't been for Al, he might have continued to leave his mind turned off with no restraining chains he liked to call responsibility and guilt, or maybe he had allowed his mind to be turned off when he passed through the gate? He was so tired of living only to sin, building upon the original sin that cast him from childish paradise into perdition.

Fullmetal sat in the middle of a large room, pondering the metal and chalk that lay before him with his head resting on his fist. It was too risky; he didn't want to screw up again when there was only one chance, but he couldn't think of anywhere where research materials would be available. It's not like this world had Alchemy books laying about that didn't have to do with silly things like turning lead into gold (which is entirely possible, but completely and stupidly dangerous involving high level alchemy and radiation, among other nasty side reactions). He sighed and poked the metal, trying to quell the feeling of impatience that was threatening to cloud his judgment. Behind him, he felt his 'shadow' shift. It seemed that Link had been ordered to continue to monitor the Noah and probably destroy said Noah if he proved a threat.

Maybe he should go to Munich? There wasn't much left, but he did have a small collection of his notes and other books squirreled away... As if they would let him go there, and anyway, he had everything memorized; it would be an unnecessary trip to retrieve them. Even if his notes were found by the other Noah or the Order, he highly doubted that anyone would understand them.

He rolled his eyes to himself and continued to ponder the situation when his stomach growled loudly in the otherwise silent room. He glared at it until it silenced itself and sighed; Ed had been avoiding the cafeteria as much as possible. It was just too awkward to be around the Order when they kept staring at him like he was their enemy, though he was no stranger to such hate, having been a State Alchemist, the self-proclaimed dog of the military. He was glad though; they cared so much for the boy that hating him was just too easy. It would make things uncomplicated in the future.

Now Allen. There was another problem. What should he do about him? While the arm would certainly be useful, the risks to the child himself were too great and made Edward hesitate in learning how to use the blasted arm. It didn't help that the arm itself seemed to be mocking him; the arm was so dark like all the blood of the people he had killed, directly or indirectly, were caked onto the hand and refused to be washed out, forever reminding him or his errors. He didn't know how Allen dealt with it. Probably the child was too clean compared to Edward's own soiled soul, though he was sure the child had his own fill of sins.

Fullmetal froze as he felt something lightly brush his mind. Scowling, he swore softly. He had awoken to the point that the other Noah were aware of his existence (it seemed that the Innocence that comprised Allen's right arm had muted the transformation, making it slower). It wouldn't be long before they started to look for him, and when they saw that they didn't have a new sibling, but that he was their turncoat of a brother, they would be sure to destroy him once and for all.

Still scowling, he stood up, unaware that Link wasn't the only one who watched him, but numerous others via the golems that hung from the corners of the room. "Dammit," he growled louder as he felt more try link to his mind, but he resolutely kept them out. "There's just no time." Turning, he stalked out of the room; he should probably warn the Order and then get out into the open air. He felt like a sitting duck in a large nest waiting for the falcon to swoop down and end his pathetic life.

Turning into another hall, he felt another presence in his mind, making him shiver slightly. He recognized this presence... It felt like the Gate. It oozed of power, and yet, it did not feel as powerful or sinister as the Gate.d

Hastily, Fullmetal turned, but only met a startled Link; he couldn't help but check that the Gate wasn't looming up behind him, threatening to take another limb for a tab that had yet to be paid. Irritated with his irrationality (the Gate never left debts unpaid, knowing firsthand its handiwork), he started to walk forward but stopped upon seeing his reflection in the window, where a clear blue sky was visible in stark contrast with his exhausted and haunted eyes.

He was a Noah, and Noah were Noah because they were humans from his world. The price they must have paid to cross the gate was their sanity, or something of the sort. Certainly, he himself had lost his mind for a certain time, and Al had never lost it because he had never actually crossed over.

Hohenheim never seemed to have lost it either... Maybe he had paid a different price or maybe the price was not something of the mind? Or maybe he had never truly been sane his whole life. Living for so long from body to body, it seemed entirely possible that his mind would also rot with his flesh. Then again, he never gave any indication of mental instability. He shook his head. Nothing made sense, but then nothing where the Gate was involved ever made any sense; it seemed to have a twisted mind of its own, toying with human lives like so many broken dolls.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment and then walked away from his reflection; whatever will come, will come. All he can do is weather the storm and hope that when the time was ripe, the seeds that he had planted would grow into fruition.

He turned down a hallway and stopped by a large wooden door that stood ajar. Inside, he knew, was Komui's office (Earlier, he had been given a limited tour of the Order by the annoying Inspector). Giving the room a cursory glance as he passed through, he couldn't help but feel himself stiffen with recognition. No way. No way in hell that bas - The blond stopped himself. Idiot, this wouldn't be the first time he had mistaken someone's identity for someone in his world. Still, it wouldn't hurt to confirm it, right?

Before he could interrogate the man, Komui appeared at the door of his office, carrying his signature mug. Kanda could be seen behind him, coolly glaring. "Fullmetal? What brings you here?"

Giving the familiar man who was busy poring over some papers a last look, he turned to face the Supervisor. "I need out of the Order. I don't care how. Send me on a mission if you want, but I can't stay here." The other man gave the younger a calculating look. "The Noah have become aware of my existence; it won't be long before they come looking for me. I would rather deal with them myself in my own way, and I don't want interference."

"Come in then. We'll figure out a place to send you." Komui's office was a disaster. It was a surprise that the Dark Order could even function with such a man as its supervisor. The small room seemed to have no carpet, though Edward was certain that the paper simply covered it completely up. The laziness reminded him of a certain distasteful Colonel - now General - who couldn't be trusted to do any real work other than intrigue unless a gun was pointed to his head. Komui could have probably used a similar treatment.

Behind the pile of papers (was there a desk under there?) was a large map of the world with multiple pins in it. At first, he only gave it a cursory glance, but something nagged him at the back of his mind. Ignoring the other occupants of the room (Kanda, Lavi, Lenalee, Krowly, among others), he walked up to the map. Though there were several colors, it was obvious that the black pins represented demon attacks and sightings; the red were probably Noah sightings. The rest he ignored as insignificant information. He was only focused on the overall shape, and the shape was strange; yet, it seemed familiar in a haunting and disturbing way.

Something clicked in Edward's mind: It couldn't be, could it? Did the Earl have the knowledge and the ability to activate a transmutation circle? A wave of nausea passed over him, and he paled at the thought. Quickly, he grasped at some of the paper around him and yanked a pencil that was half buried under other paper. Scribbling furiously, he had five different transmutation circles drawn and a sixth in the making when his brain caught up to him; he was assuming too many things.

First, he didn't even know if this was a transmutation circle. Second, he didn't know if the Earl was even done picking places to be the junctions of the transmutation. For all Ed knew, he was only getting started. Third, who would activate it since Ed was fairly certain that his version of Alchemy did not exist on this side of the gate. (He really didn't want to think about that one.) Fourth, was it even possible to do alchemy on this side of the gate? Ed knew that he could, but that seemed to be his 'ability' as a Noah. Fifth...

He couldn't think. This was too much, and his mind wouldn't stop spinning at the possibilities. He was certain, that even as a Noah, he had never explained such alchemy to anyone. It was too guarded of a secret for him to spill carelessly even when his mind had shut down. He also knew that no one else in this world, save Hohenheim, would have such knowledge, and Hohenheim was too careful in his dealings to let something slip. Still, the idea deeply disturbed Ed's psyche, and he couldn't discount the possibility that he had somehow blabbed or that the Earl had previous knowledge. Maybe the Earl was in fact from his wor-

Someone cleared his throat loudly behind Fullmetal, and he whipped around in response. "You want to share what you've been doing there?" A dry question full of suspicions.

"No." A dry response, full of secrets. He really couldn't help it; it was a triggered response of often being found researching something forbidden and not wanting the questioner to become too involved and end up losing his or her life, like Hughes.

He closed his eyes and let a small breath of air escape his lips, gathering his patience; he should explain, they deserved that much at least, and they could be useful in stopping the Earl's plans. "Actually," he grimaced and turned his attention back to the exorcists who had varying degrees of hate and disgust shown on their faces. "I can't be sure, but it's a possibility." He bit his lip and warily rubbed his eyes (God he was tired), trying to think of a way to explain that would make sense to them.

"What do you know of Alchemy? Wait, no, you're going to spout silly rubbish about turning iron to gold, which is possible, but illegal. Nevermind. In my world, Alchemy is more than that; it's a science, following set laws and equations. You can turn one thing into another so long as you follow the law of Equivalent Exchange - matter cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change forms.

"You can accomplish these 'transformations' by a transmutation circle, where the equations are laid out for whatever you are changing." While he explained, he drew another transmutation circle on another sheet of paper. Glancing at the room, he judged their responses, and sighed softly to himself: some seemed to be understanding the concept (the non-exorcists), some looked like they understood but probably didn't, and others were just plain confused, which was to be expected. What time did human weapons have for an education?

He activated the transmutation circle, and it sent out a flurry of blue lightening. Slowly, the paper warped and changed, finally settling on a paper crane. He heard some gasps and looked up; it seemed he had attracted the attention of the whole department who crowded around Komui's tiny door. "That's an example of a simple transmutation. I could change this sheet of paper into anything I wanted, but I can't turn it into a larger sheet of paper because of the law." He transmuted the paper into a paper cat. "With different materials, different results can be obtained, and with enough material, you can do some really dangerous things.

"Looking at the map, the areas of high demon sightings and battles resemble nodes of a transmutation circle. I think it's possible that the Earl is creating a transmutation circle large enough to span half the world. I just..." he clenched his fist and studied the map. "If he is making one, I can't tell what it's meant to accomplish. There are too many possibilities.... But there is one thing I can say; if this is really a transmutation circle, then the Earl plans to use human lives as part of the starting materials." He felt the room collectively freeze, and to himself, he muttered, eyes hardening, "And I can't allow that. I _won't_ allow another repeat of Lior."

* * *

It had been decided that Kanda, Lavi, and Miranda would accompany Fullmetal to London, and Lenalee, Marie, and Krowly would go to Oslo. Both places had been labeled as areas of high demon sightings by the Finders with a high possibility of encountering a Noah. It had been arbitrary to send Fullmetal to London, but the fact that they were traveling by train suggested that they had decided to send him to the closer location so that he would not yet come across the Ark.

Currently, the Noah was staring out the train window at the passing scenery while incessantly tapping on a notebook he had procured from somewhere. ("Chief Reever! I can't find the pages to the report!") He seemed to be deep in thought, probably about the possible transmutation circle or whatever had occurred in Lior (Link had been close enough to hear; he wasn't so sure about the others). However, who knew what went on in their heads. If they were in fact human as he suggested, then maybe their minds were not so different, but their supernatural abilities suggested that they were not human at all, and so Link was skeptical at best. He often wondered how much that came out of the Noah's mouth were truth and how much were lies.

The tapping paused, before resuming a more erratic tempo, responding to some inner irritation of the Noah's. Link took note of it and noticed that he was not the only one; everyone in the cabin made some movement in response: Kanda opened an eye to glare before closing it again; Lavi had been openly staring since the trip began and probably noticed more than Link himself being the apprentice Bookman; and Miranda shifted uneasily in her seat. Needless to say, the air in the cabin was tense.

Time passed, and the cabin darkened with the setting of the sun. Miranda had fallen asleep, Kanda was still meditating or whatever it was he did with his eyes perpetually closed, and Lavi was still religiously focused on the Noah. Said Noah was still staring into space, though his eyes had certainly developed a more glazed look as the hours passed, and his tapping had long since stopped.

* * *

Allen had decided; he couldn't let the 14th control him like this. He needed to gain control of his body again, but even though he had decided this, gaining control again was another problem all together. He had tried passing through the mirror, realizing that his room in the Order represented his mind while the field on the other side of the mirror represented the Noah's. However, the mirror rejected him when he tried to push through. Even using his left arm did not work, push as he might.

Dejected, he had been sitting on his bed glaring at the offensive scenery trying to think of a way through. The only thing he could think of was that when the 14th came back to talk to him (he was certain that he would), he would attack and bring him down. The only problem was when. Time was certainly an issue. As Allen was still here and could still see the rolling hills, he assumed that his arm had not yet been removed. Did that mean that he would lose all sense of consciousness in the near future?

Through his musings, he became painfully aware how little he knew, having grown up with limited knowledge and education. Certainly, Mana had taught him how to read, among other things, but his education had not continued under General Cross, who merely used Allen as a means to pay his debts and fight the demons.

Yes, he would continue to fight until his last breath. He would fight the Noah, staking his mind on the outcome, and exorcise him. This was the only path open to the boy that involved moving forward, and he would never stop struggling until the day he died; he had swore to Mana.

* * *

::Omake:: (AKA the stupid things that happen when my brain runs too wild)

"Is it just me or does Fullmetal keep getting shorter and shorter?"

"I think so too, Chief."

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING A TINY GNAT THAT YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KILL BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE IT?!?!?!?"

"…"

"We didn't say that…"

"Dammit! I must be reverting to my original height! Why does Allen have to be taller than me?!"

* * *

Notes: This is also a record for me. I've never updated a story so many times in such little time! That probably means I won't update for a year now… Heee…

In any case, thanks for all the reviews! Though, I have to say that there are a lot of reviews concerning Ed's "harsh" attitude. Well, deal with it. There is a reason, and when it wants to be revealed, it will reveal itself. (This story is out of my control and is writing itself. Worst of all, it won't let me sleep or accomplish any work).

As for the arm, I think the plot has decided for itself what to do about it; though the reviews helped much in stimulating the ideas. :D

I would also like to say this because I got pissed when I saw it. Please, please, _please_ do not advertise in my reviews. I won't read it, and my mind blanks into an angry red which usually ends in the death of a story.

Nevertheless, I'm really glad that the story seems to be making you all think, as the reviews aren't filled with the usual gibberish of "OMFG PLEAS CNTUE!1!1111!! DIS STORIE IS AWSOME!!11!1!1!"

So keep them coming!

Chapter title is from Evanescence – Field of Innocence.

Now, review!


	4. 1825 Paper Cranes

**Demons Only One**

**Chapter 4: 1825 Paper Cranes**

_He's good..._ Allen gritted his teeth. No matter what he tried, Fullmetal dodged all of his attacks, but there was something off about his movements: Why wouldn't he attack? If he really wanted Allen's body, wouldn't he want to kill Allen and get rid of any complications? He charged at the Noah, taking a swipe with his large sword, but the Noah back-flipped out of the way, easily avoiding strike.

Allen recalled what the Noah said at their last meeting, and hesitated. Why would he tell Allen about how his Innocence was protecting him and why wouldn't he just destroy the Innocence?

Suddenly, Allen was looking up at the sky with a mild headache; it seemed that while he had been distracted, Fullmetal had taken the advantage, quickly closing the gap and threw Allen over his shoulder. Currently, a gloved right fist was mere millimeters from Allen's nose. "What the hell was that? Do you usually get this distracted in the middle of a fight? You're going to die early at this rate..." Fullmetal scowled down his arm at the shocked exorcist.

"Wait, what do you mean? You don't... intend on killing me?"

The blond studied him for a moment before stepping back. "I never intended on killing you. I have.. enough blood on my hands." He studied his gloved hands for a moment before looking back at Allen. "Although, I guess I can see why you would think that I would kill you. I _am _a Noah." He rolled his eyes at the thought and scowled again.

"By the way, who taught you how to fight? You suck. _Majorly_." He plopped into the grass as Allen sat up, offended.

"Hey! I've been getting by just fine!" His gray eyes flashed and his fingers twitched toward his sword, which had fallen out of his grip.

The blond quirked an eyebrow, and Allen looked away. "It's not like General Cross actually taught me anything..."

The Noah laughed. "Yea, he's like that. How has he been? I haven't seen that jerk for awhile."

The white-haired frowned. "No one really knows where he is. He might be dead..."

"What?!" Allen explained the circumstances the night General Cross had disappeared.

"Hmm.. I see.." He could practically see the Noah storing that information away for later deliberation, when he suddenly vanished.

* * *

Something small and hard slammed into Edward's head, jerking him awake from his nap/conversation with Allen. "What the-" He whipped his head around looking for the source when his eyes landed on an angry golden golem who was, in all intents and purposes, hissing at him. The other inhabitants of the cabin were all watching the event with interest.

"You little brat." Fullmetal made a grab for it, but it dodged him and lodged its fangs into the Noah's hand, causing him to hiss in pain. He pried it off and started to pull at it, stretching its mouth to impossible lengths. "Hey, just because I tried to destroy you the first time we met doesn't mean that you get to hold a grudge," he growled. "Although, I guess I-" He stopped himself. He was going to mention how he had taken over Allen's body, but thought it wiser not to mention that in the cabin full of the exorcist's friends.

It was then that he realized the reason that Timcampy hadn't been around: He had been looking for Allen, but since Allen's presence could no longer be felt, he couldn't find him. After some time, he must have decided that Fullmetal probably had something to do with it.

His eyes darkened for a moment at the thought before they glinted with malice. "You know, I've been wondering why you appear to have a consciousness and how you keep regenerating even after being destroyed into a billion pieces. Maybe it's time to take you apart while General Cross isn't around to stop me." He grinned darkly.

Timcampy squeaked, escaped from his hands in a flurry of golden wings and hid behind Lavi, who was glaring at the Noah and reassuringly petting the golem. Edward looked away as if saying he was no longer interested in vivisecting the golem.

To Lavi, it seemed odd the way that Fullmetal quickly became disinterested in the golem, as if he were only chasing away the little critter and had no real intentions of hurting it. He studied the Noah for awhile longer as the Noah started to flip through his notebook again.

* * *

It was dark when they finally reached London. Miranda studied her companions after the long train ride: she felt that Lavi and Fullmetal looked haggard, as if they didn't sleep at all; on the other hand, Kanda looked the same as he always did, cold and distant with a hint of annoyance and arrogance.

The lamplight cast a dark shadow across everyone's faces. "We should find a place to stay for the night," she suggested softly. Movement in the corner of her eyes turned her attention to Fullmetal who looked like he was about to say something, but shut his mouth instead.

"Yea," Lavi said instead.

It took them about an hour to find a place that was suitable; unfortunately, they never got the chance to go in and relax. As they were entering the inn, the guys stiffened. Lavi grabbed Miranda and then they all jumped back from the building just before it exploded.

"Welcoming committee," Fullmetal growled. He suddenly whipped around, looking toward the roofs and scowled. "Rhode."

"Oh? Well, if it isn't the traitorous Fullmetal. What should we do, Lero?"

"Lero! Kill him, lero!" screamed the umbrella as Rhode idly swung him in a circle at her side.

"Hmmmm, I would rather not kill a brother, even if he betrayed the Earl. I would much rather make him regret his decision." She grinned maliciously at Edward, and he gritted his teeth.

This was not good. He had to think of something, fast! She was probably going to send him into one of her dream worlds, but then the problem would be finding her real body. If he could just do that, he could probably corner her and send her back through the gate... However, he didn't know who she was on the other side. Or what.

Suddenly, Kanda and Lavi appeared on either side of her, both attacking, and both missing as Rhode easily jumped out of the way. "Not fair!" She pouted childishly. "Teaming up on one little girl!" She waved an arm, and the sky was filled with demons. "So we'll just even the odds!"

Lavi swore; when did the Earl make so many demons? Then, thousands of spikes flew up from the ground and impaled the demons. Looking back behind him, he saw Fullmetal with his hands pressed to the ground. Snapping his eyes back to Rhode, he saw her glare angrily at the other Noah and wave a hand at him: Fullmetal had stopped moving. He was forced into her dream world, but Lavi had no time to worry about the Noah as thousands of other demons appeared in the night sky.

* * *

'_Shit'_ thought Ed as he ran through the streets of what looked suspiciously like Central. _'What do I do now?'_ He turned a corner of the building and stopped, his eyes widening.

"E-edward… Beloved… Wh-why… couldn't you m-make… me per…fect?" a grotesque mass of blood, organs and bones pleaded at Ed, her misshapen hand trying to grasp at his feet, slowly pulling herself toward him while leaving a trail of blood and organs. The stench of blood and death was overwhelming and Ed nearly gagged.

"You aren't real," he growled stepping back. He could feel his heart racing; he knew what Rhode was trying to do. She was going to make him crazy by forcing him to relive all of his mistakes and kill his allies.

He clapped his hands and blue lightening raced around his "mother" and crushed her under a large slab of rock. The smell of ozone added to the blood did nothing to his nerves, but it was a slight comfort that even in her dream world, he could still use his alchemy. '_I have to get out of here…'_ He gritted his teeth and then prepared himself for the next nightmare.

He didn't know how long he was there, but it felt like he had faced every one of his own personal demons: Envy, Sloth, Barry the Chopper, Scar…Even his allies and friends were put up against him: the Colonel, Winry… Hughes.

"It's your fault I died. You got me involved! What will Elysia do without me?!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to get you involved. I never asked for your help!"

What hurt most and hit closest to home were Al's accusations.

"Brother, it's all your fault! Everything!"

He was starting to lose his mind, and he didn't know how much more he could take. It wasn't everyday that he got the chance to review every mistake he had made throughout his entire life and had to question the intentions and the inner thoughts of everyone he cared for.

What was the worst thing about the ordeal was that, in order to find Rhode, he had to attack everyone, even Alphonse.

"Big… brother…"

"Nina" he breathed.

"Want to… play?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, stealing himself, desperately convincing himself that he had to do it, and then rushed forward, clapping his hands and just brushed the wall beside him, transforming the brick into a blade. Flying forward, he slashed at her as she started to dodge. While he was unable to give her a fatal wound, he was still able to gash her deeply.

The world around him wavered, and then shattered as Rhode could no longer keep her focus.

He fell to his knees, exhausted and quickly glanced about to get his bearings; he saw Kanda furiously chasing Rhode through the sky, leaving in his wake the explosion indicative of destroyed demons. His eyes sharpened as he saw that Rhode had a horizontal slash across her body. _'So she was distracted by pain…'_

Pushing himself off the ground, Fullmetal made a move to rush forward and cut Rhode off, but instead was cut off himself. "Tyki Myk…" He looked down the length of the other man's arm and noticed that his arm was inside his chest. He could feel the ice-cold fingers wrapped around his heart.

"Hello, Fullmetal."

"…Colonel."

* * *

Notes: So I took forever to update this story, and I want to thank you all for the reviews and the support!

Title is from Epik High's song, "1825 Paper Cranes." I love Epik High! I wish I could've seen them when they came to the states.

Concerning this chapter, I don't know if I'm satisfied with it or not, but it had to come up sometime! So here it is! Also, yes, I did forget about Timcampy. Oops. Haha.

Cheers, and please leave a review!


	5. Ship Called Regret

**Demons Only One**

**Chapter 5: Ship Called Regret**

The pain was unbearable. He could feel his heart futilely trying to beat blood to his extremities, but due to the ice-cold hands that were slowly clenching the muscle in a tighter and tighter grip, the efficiency of his circulatory system was seriously compromised; it was starting to show in his spotty vision as darkness threatened to overwhelm him. He didn't know how long they were there, but it was getting more and more difficult to think of a way to get the Noah to stop.

'_May as well try,_' he thought sluggishly.

Furiously blinking away the encroaching darkness, Ed slowly and discretely (or what he hoped was discrete) pulled his hands together, forcing the Innocence arm to meet with the other in a soft clap. Swiftly, he tried to grab the dark-haired Noah, but was easily evaded. Swearing, he stumbled forward and barely managed to put his hands out in front of him to stop his fall.

Behind the retreating Noah, whose eyes were narrowed and glued on Ed in a darkened glare, a large hammer suddenly appeared, ready to squish Tyki Myk under its weight. Ed's eyes widened in fear for the Colonel: Sure, the guy was a bastard and an arrogant jerk, but there were things he still had to accomplish in their world; things that needed to be righted and dealt with. Things only someone like the Colonel could accomplish.

"No!" gasped the alchemist as he launched himself to push the other Noah away.

Compared the Colonel's grip on his heart, the pain of taking a direct hit from an Innocence attack was many times worse. His vision exploded in a billion colors, most of which faded into black, much like fireworks fading in a dark sky, and pain exploded from his arm, which had taken the brunt of the attack. Then there was pain in his back as he crashed into a building, effectively demolishing the structure. He could feel his blood vessels break and he heard a soft cry in pain. It was only later that Ed realized that it was his own.

What was worse was not the physical pain caused from the blow, but what seemed to be a sharp and debilitating mental pain as well much like a migraine but many times worse. Perhaps it would be more accurate to call it a spiritual pain that had been dealt to the body. It appeared that what made Innocence such an effective weapon was that it could cause both types of damage. Somewhere in a corner of his mind where there was no screaming that reverberated in his head, he wondered if "normal" humans would also feel such agonizing pain.

He grunted and forcibly pushed the pain to the back of his mind while trying to clear his vision long enough to assess the damage done to the Colonel, if any.

However, just as the darkness abated, he felt a hand at his throat, slowly lifting him off the ground and choking him.

'_Dammit. If I weren't so God damn short, this wouldn't happen!_' He felt his temper flare up then quickly die with the lack of air.

"Why? Why did you do it?"

"You bastard Colonel," Ed coughed out. "Did you forget? Weren't you going to become Fuhrer?! D-didn't you want to change Amsteris?! Dammit.. why.. can't you…"

He couldn't think anymore. His brain was screaming for oxygen. He felt himself crumple to the ground and a fading voice saying, "Rhode, let's go. We've played for long… We still have to-"

Soft steps were leaving and the voice grew distant. He tried to speak, but his throat locked up, and his hand grasped nothing but air.

'_Wait!_' Then there was nothing.

* * *

Lavi was pissed. Why the hell did that Noah just stop him from flattening Tyki?! Ugh! And he had him! He was right there within the path of his hammer! Lavi sorely wanted to take out his frustrations on Fullmetal, but the only thing that was stopping him from flattening the unconscious Noah was the fact that he was Allen, and Allen was still in there somewhere; he had to believe that. Allen was just too strong to let the Noah kill him off, right?

He gritted his teeth in anger and annoyance and practically stomped over to the Noah. He could feel Miranda dispel her Innocence, and bruises and cuts slowly began to form across his body. He heard Kanda step behind him and put a warning hand on his shoulder.

"I _know_," he growled, shaking off the hand and kneeling beside the unconscious blonde. "I was just going to see check the damage." Lavi slowly turned over Fullmetal and checked his pulse; it was slow, weak and erratic, but it was there. He also noticed that his breathing was shallow and quick. The right arm was bent at several strange angles, indicating multiple breaks, and there was a nasty bruise forming around his neck. However, despite his vast knowledge, he did not feel qualified to care for the Noah for a variety of reasons.

"He looks really bad," commented a worried Miranda. "Should we go back to headquarters?"

"We can't leave the mission incomplete. Someone needs to here." Kanda said gruffly.

"Then, Miranda, take him back to headquarters. Yu and I will-"

The rest of what he had to say was drowned out by a tart, "I _told_ you not to call me that!"

"Like I was _saying_," Lavi continued, ignoring the blade at his throat, which was reluctantly removed after a minute. "Miranda, you take him back. We'll stay here. I don't think the Noah will attack and the finders should be able to hold back any demons should they show themselves."

"Um, alright. But will you two be ok?"

Kanda harrumphed at the suggestion that they would get seriously injured and turned to walk away, presumably to find a new place to stay now that their first choice and the buildings surrounding it were destroyed.

Lavi pulled out his golem and spoke a few words to it before it flew off.

"Some Finders should be on their way… and there they are! Take care," Lavi said, getting up and chasing after Kanda. To Miranda, it almost seemed like he was trying to escape. "Yuuu! Wait!"

There was a sound of a blade swiftly leaving its scabbard before the darkness engulfed the two, leaving Miranda with the injured Noah just as several Finders joined them.

"We're here to escort you back to headquarters. Ah, I assume that this is the injured person that was mentioned?" asked a rather large Finder.

"Ah! Isn't that.. Allen Walker?!" exclaimed another.

"I heard that he's a Noah now!"

"Eh?! Seriously?! I don't want to help someone like that?!"

"Eh? But but.." Miranda's timid voice got lost in the group of Finders.

"Shut it! Everyone!" yelled the big Finder. "You've got no right to gossip like that!" He glared at the others and they cringed. "Let's just do what we came here to do: our _job_."

After that, no one said anything and quietly put the Noah on a stretcher. "This is bad," he muttered. "It looks like his heart received heavy damage. He's having palpitations. At this rate, he could go into cardiac arrest and die!

"You!" He pointed at one of the other people. "Start cpr!"

The young man sighed and reluctantly knelt down, pressing his hands against the Noah's chest and began compressing half-heartedly. "You have to press harder, dammit! If his ribs aren't cracking, you aren't pressing hard enough! You have to pump his blood!"

The man moved toward Fullmetal's head and felt for a pulse. The dark-haired woman winced as there were popping sounds of ribs cracking and no doubt, breaking.

This went on for some time and Miranda didn't know how long they were like that, but it seemed like an eternity. During this time, she fervently hoped that Allen would take control. However, there was no indication of an internal battle… or anything at all.

She also thought about what she had witnessed during the Noah's attack. Why would he protect Tyki if Tyki were trying to kill him? And then what he was saying before… If they were to truly believe what he said about the origin of the Noah, then he must have known Tyki from before, in the other world. She sighed. Maybe it was better not to think about it and just ask Fullmetal when (if – Allen would take over, she assured herself, because he couldn't be gone) he woke up.

It was about then that the Finder announced that the heartbeat had returned to normal, but was very weak. He yelled at some of the other Finders lazing about and together, they put him on a stretcher and began carrying to the train station.

Slowing his steps to match Miranda's, he apologized. "Sorry about that. You have to understand the rumors that are going about… About him." He indicated the unconscious Noah. "But you know, I don't want to believe them. I couldn't, until I saw it for my own eyes…

"Allen.. Allen was a good kid. I helped him once, you know? So I just can't believe that he's gone…"

"He's not gone," Miranda cut in sternly, and the Finder looked at her, slight surprise in his eyes. "He's not gone… He has to still be in there.." she continued.

"Yea, you're right. We can't give up hope. I think I knew that all along.." he muttered softly, more to himself than to her.

* * *

Allen glanced around his room at the mirror. For some reason, ever since several ago, the atmosphere had been strange. He could tell something was going on, but the, he couldn't really. The main indication that he had that something had happened was the slight aches and pains that he would feel. None of it was serious though, as it felt like something was trying to protect him from feeling such pain, but his chest felt tight and his neck and back ached. He wondered if the Noah was fighting and whom he was fighting.

The room wavered and then stood still, but something most definitely felt different. The pain was much greater now, and it looked as though the barrier that kept him from leaving was dissolving.

Softly, he padded up to the window and rested his hand on the glass. Giving it a slight push, he felt something break under his weight and he fell through.

Picking himself off the ground, he was shocked by the dramatic change that had overcome the Noah's mind: Instead of the green rolling hills that soaked in the sun, there was darkness and a tormented sky. Lightening crashed, splitting a tree, and the wind howled furiously around Allen, threatening to blow him away.

Fighting the wind, he spotted the house that Fullmetal had retreated into. Curiosity grabbing hold of his mind, he struggled to make his way toward the swinging door. Grasping the handle, he pulled himself inside and gagged; the scent of blood and death was overpowering.

Looking around, he noticed that the smell became more powerful as he walked toward, what seemed to be, the door to the basement. Covering his nose, he stepped down the stairs. The air was still like death and Allen had a bad feeling.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he gasped, and his eyes widened; whatever he was expecting, it was not this.

The Noah was slumped against the wall; his eyes were staring blankly at the middle of the room, where in the middle of a transmutation circle there was a mass of… Allen didn't even know how to explain it. It looked like there were so many limbs, bones, tissue, and blood all coming from a central area that could vaguely be called a body.

The exposed ribs expanded, and then contracted. Allen realized that it was _breathing_. There was another shuddered breathe that filled the room. "Ed…ward… Why?" it gasped.

The Noah clutched his head, but his blank eyes continued to stare in horror at the.. at the thing. "Shut up! SHUT UP! You're not real!" His voice was hoarse, as if he had been screaming for awhile.

It faded; the blood and gore seeming to ooze through the floorboards. In its place, a dark man rose, red eyes glinting in the darkness. He dashed forward without a prelude, a tattooed arm grabbing and lifting the Noah easily before slamming him into the wall.

"Scar…" he breathed, but didn't struggle. His head drooped forward a little bit, as if he were resigned to his fate.

Allen didn't know why, but he rushed forward and shoulder checked the large man. The Noah crumpled into a heap on the ground while the man disappeared in a wisp of dark smoke. He realized that whatever had happened, it forced the Noah to live through his greatest horrors. Allen felt sympathetic toward the Noah. He knew what it was like to relive the terrors of the past.

"Why did you stop him? Wouldn't it be better for you if I died..? You could return to your friends…" Dull golden eyes watched him, but he didn't move from where he had fallen.

"I… I guess it's because you didn't try to kill me. I mean, you had the opportunity, but you didn't."

"…Won't you regret this?"

"I.. don't know… There are so many things that you can't know. How will I know if I will regret this?" Allen said softly, thinking about how he had foolishly called for Mana, making him into a demon. He didn't know that he would regret calling his adopted father back from the grave.

"True… Too true." Fullmetal's – Edward's? – voice drifted off. He seemed to be heavy in thought, and a profound silence fell between the two.

* * *

Notes: Concerning the palpitations and stuff… I don't know much about that, but I figured the series of steps would be logical… and seeing as how they probably don't have defibrillators.. Well, whatever. I don't really care about what they knew or didn't know since the mangaka herself doesn't really seem to either… After all, they seem to have some weird technology going on, so I'll cough it up to that.

Concerning cracking ribs… Yes, if you aren't cracking ribs or breaking them, then you aren't pumping blood. So, cracking ribs are a good thing when performing cpr… Ew.

Also, I feel that the characters are getting more and more out of character.. It's been hard for me to think about how they would act since I haven't been re-watching the show or keeping up with the manga. Sorry! ...Which makes me feel like this story is getting worse and worse... Oh well.. x.x

As always, thank you for the reviews and favs!

~Razra

Title is from Hatsune Miku's 1925. More specifically, part of the dub from Mitsumushi's version.


	6. Limp in Both Legs

**Demons Only One**

**Chapter 6: Limp in Both Legs**

Link didn't exactly understand why, but he and the Bookman were currently in the middle the woods (lost) in Munich looking for a small cottage where the Noah supposedly lived back in the day. For some reason, he was ordered to accompany the Bookman while they looked into the Noah's past, and was simply told that it would help in monitoring the Noah. Being a Crow, Link didn't ask and merely obeyed. (He was assured that the Noah would be under the careful supervision of Bookman Jr. and other exorcists, but he had a feeling that this mission was more than about learning about the Noah's past...)

Link broke down the dilapidated door with ease, sending up a spray of dust and splintered wood that made him sneeze several times in succession and cover his face. He vaguely wondered just how old the house was and how long ago that Noah had stayed here.

As the dust settled, the Bookman stepped inside as Link followed and began to look around: It wasn't a large house and was only one story high. From the front door, a small living room connected to the kitchen could be seen and a small hallway no doubt leading to the single bedroom and study.

Taking a cursory glance around – there was nothing interesting – they walked towards the two rooms. The Bookman stepped into the study while Link peered into the bedroom.

The bedroom was very simple with only a single bed and hardly anything else. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust and Link crinkled his nose, stifling the urge to sneeze again. Turning away, he walked into the study only to find that it was much, much smaller than he thought it would be from the layout of the house.

Frowning, he glanced at the Bookman and noticed that he too shared a similar expression. He then gazed down at the lone desk with a small shelf attached and picked up a small frame. Wiping at some of the dust, he noticed that it was empty. Frowning, he picked up the other frame on the desk and cleaned some of the dust.

In this frame, there was a picture of the Noah with someone else in heavy armor – presumably Mana Walker. Both were sharing a look that suggested that the person with the camera was insane, but both were grinning nonetheless. Putting down the frame - there was nothing else on the desk except dust - he glanced at the Bookman, who was also looking at the frames with some interest.

"I think that there is a hidden wall," he stated simply when he caught Link's eye. "Probably that wall." He pointed a long finger passed the Crow to the opposite wall. Link swiftly crossed the small room and tapped at the wall and a hollow sound met his ears. Nodding to the old man to step back, he picked up the desk chair and smashed it against the wall.

Coughing, he swiped at the air until the dust settled. Next to him, the Bookman sniffed loudly, then reached into the hole and extracted several books. Opening them, he quickly flipped through the pages.

"Anything?" Link asked, reaching for another book.

"It's blank."

"What?" Link quickly flipped through another book. It didn't take them long to determine that all the books were empty.

"Hmmm…" The Bookman slowly flipped through the first book. "Well, let's go back to the Order. We found the only things that are of any use here, and we need to report in. Finding this place took much longer than expected and we've been out of contact for long enough."

Link nodded absentmindedly and followed the older man out, but not before pocketing the two frames – perhaps they would be of use?

* * *

Ed didn't know how long he sat there, thinking or not thinking – he didn't know nor was aware of what he was doing -, nor did he know how long Allen stood motionless before joining him against the wall. His mind was completely blank but continued to buzz as it tried to come up with an answer to what he had to accomplish. For once, there were no new ideas, and he just felt so tired that he wasn't sure he could ever get up again.

Softly, a gentle voice washed over the two. "Edward. Edward… Are you awake?"

Ed slowly lifted his head even though it felt like a thousand pounds, his eyes still blankly staring forward. "H..hohenheim?" he croaked.

"Edward, I'm not supposed to be here, but I wanted you to know. I'm leaving in your possession my cookbook. I'll let you decide what to do with the information in there. As for me, try not to give away my identity. If they find out who I am, I won't be able to stay" - The voice paused as if to collect his thoughts. - "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I was never there for you. I hope you'll one day forgive me… and you know, Al was always here, right? He's always been with you. I've seen your work. Your theory isn't wrong. You just have to trust in yourself some more… and I'm sorry... again. I've once again saddled you with my sin.

"I have to go, but remember, I'm here for you. I'll see you… my son."

He could feel Allen turn to give him a wide-eyes stare, and Ed felt himself smile listlessly back. "So I wasn't wrong. It really was him," he muttered, struggling to his feet, but failing and nearly cracking his head against the wall. "That bastard; didn't even come home and here he is in another world being an insufferable know-it-all." He sighed and leaned back at his second failure to get up. He should get up, read that damn book and figure out what Hohenheim was trying to tell him, but he just didn't have the energy.

_Tomorrow_, he assured himself. _Tomorrow…_ and his eyes shut as he fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Allen was relieved to see some light come back into Edward's eyes. It was disturbing when looked so listless and lifeless. He hated to see anyone look like that, even a Noah. Those eyes reminded him of when he had called Mana back. Certainly, he too must have worn the same eyes when General Cross found him.

He sighed and leaned back against the wall as he heard the Noah's soft snores. The conversation had been strange between him and his father, well, more like monologue as Edward hardly spoke a word. But a cookbook? Of all things to leave with someone, a cookbook? Allen puzzled over this.

Also, if that man, whoever he was, was indeed the Edward's father, wouldn't that also make him a Noah? So there was another Noah within the Order's ranks? How many were there total? And who was this man? Wouldn't that mean that the Black Order was compromised? While this particular man didn't seem like he was trying to harm the Black Order, any other Noah hiding might be a spy.

There were so many questions and no answers. Maybe Edward would tell him, but Allen felt that even if he were to ask, the Noah would not say a thing.

He let his mind wander away from the puzzling conversation and to the people within the Order. He wondered how they were getting along, and if they were worried. He wished that there was some way to let them know that he was doing fine…

Wait. Fullmetal was asleep, right? So he should be able to take over the body, right? But he didn't know how to go about it. What should he do?

Allen got up slowly and glanced at Edward. Seeing that he was still sound asleep, he quietly tip-toed up the stairs and glanced around. Somehow, he felt that being in the house wasn't the answer, but he didn't know what else to do. Maybe one of the doors was the way out?

Looking around, he started to wander around the house. The first floor held nothing too interesting: Just a kitchen, living room… typical things, so he made his way to the second floor. Opening one of the doors, it looked like it led to the master bedroom. Well, Allen thought it was the master bedroom. It wasn't large, but it definitely had the "parental" feel to it.

Shutting the door softly, he walked to the next door and tried the handle. However, unlike the last room, the handle didn't turn. He jangled it a bit before trying to put his shoulder quietly into the door, willing it to open. "Stupid door…" he growled, pushing a little harder.

He stopped and glared at the door. _This has to be the door out,_ he thought. Grunting, he put his whole weight into the wood and felt it give way. Stumbling forward, he caught himself before he face-planted into the floor. Getting a sense of unease, he looked up and froze.

There was someone there, watching him.

* * *

Notes: Title is from Epik High's new album. The song is called Run. Ah, this song really hit me hard and then really inspired me to write more of this story. The lyrics really reminded me of Ed..

"I have a limp in both legs, the road to walk is endless."

I might use this song for the rest of the chapter titles of this story :D

But yea, it's been awhile since the last update so I uploaded a pretty short chapter that I've been working on for awhile now (didn't know how to write it really, and I'm really dissatisfied.. but.. eh..). Really, this summer has been way too busy and I'm so behind in everything. I wish I didn't have to study anymore. X.x

As always, thank you for the reviews and support! I can't keep writing without you all! :D

~Razra


	7. Long Hallway with a Broken Light

**Demons Only One**

**Chapter 7: Long Hallway with a Broken Light**

Allen slowly picked himself off of the floor; his eyes were locked with a golden-brown pair that belonged to a young boy. At first, the boy had a surprised look on his round face, and then it turned into a large, genuine grin. His eyes seeming to sparkle in the dim light.

"Allen!" he exclaimed happily as he moved away from the window where dark, gray skies were visible.

The exorcist took a step back, his mind a confused mess: Why was this guy in Fullmetal's head?; why was he being so familiar with him?; and how did he know his name? Then something clicked. Though his face was rounder, his expressions more kind, he did look like Fullmetal. Even the gestures were familiar to that of-

"M-mana?"

"You can call me Al. Mana was my alias." Al grinned and pulled Allen into a hug. "It's been too long! I'm really sorry for leaving you, but I didn't have much time left… and when you called me back, I was terrified with what the Earl was going to make me do." Al pulled back and studied Allen's dumbstruck face.

"Wow! You've grown so much taller since I last saw you! You're so much taller than Ed even though you two are supposed to be kindred souls!" ("WHO'S SO SMALL THAT DOLLS WOULD MISTAKE HIM AS A TOOTHPICK?")

"B-but how? Why are you here?" Allen could barely get the words out due to his shock.

"Ah, well, I guess I should explain from the beginning. You probably didn't hear much about what was going on and I never did explain anything to you..." The blonde stepped back and paced the room for a bit, gathering his thoughts. The tap-tap of his footsteps stopped and he turned to look at the exorcist. "Did you know? Noah aren't from this world. We're actually from a different world, which is what makes Noah different from everyday people that you're familiar with, but what makes me different from Ed or Tyki is that my body actually isn't in _this_ world.

"You see, ever since I was young, my soul was never very well attached to my body, so I am able to put small portions of my soul into other objects. When Ed came over into this world, part of my soul came over as well.

"At that time, I lost track of Ed… and when I found him again, he had lost his mind…" He paused and looked out the window, his mouth turned into a slight frown before turning back to study Allen's reaction. "You know, my body at that time was an armor suit, and when I was finally able to make Ed realize how stupid he was being, the Earl was more than ready to kill us. So before Ed went to go fight the Earl, he changed the shape of my vessel in order to disguise me. I then became the one you know as Mana.

"Unfortunately, the time that I can be away from my original body and soul is finite, and my soul was nearing its limit and could not be held in a container for much longer, which is why I had to leave you." He wrung his hands nervously and glanced at Allen. "I didn't want to leave you at all! Please understand! My time was up and there was nothing I could do to prolong it." He fidgeted some more.

"You.. I don't blame you at all!" Allen replied fervently. "It was just a shock, is all. I didn't know what to do when you suddenly collapsed…"

Mana flashed him a small smile before continuing. "When you called me back using the Earl, I freaked out, but then I realized something. You gave me a chance to come back and make sure Ed didn't do anything stupid! So I had to curse you, during which I moved my soul from the demon to your eye. I'm really sorry about that…"

"I knew it." Allen whipped around, and behind him leaning exhaustedly against the door was Fullmetal.

"Brother!"

"As soon as I saw the eye, I knew."

"I thought you were sleeping…"

"It felt like someone called me short…" growled a disgruntled Ed as he stomped through the door. "So I woke up…" He glanced suspiciously at the two before letting it go and turning his full gaze on Mana; his eyes softened. "I didn't realize our minds were still linked, Al. I would've sought you out sooner if I'd known."

"I'm not sure that we could completely separate our minds after what happened."

"Yea… I guess not." He slumped on the floor, resting his head against the doorframe. "I really missed you, Al. When you go back, tell Winry and the others that... I'm sorry." His voice drifted off and his eyes inadvertently shut. He was asleep again.

"Geez! Brother! Don't fall asleep somewhere like that! Allen, could you help me?"

It took them awhile, but they finally moved Ed to the lone bed in the room ("Why is he so heavy?" "Ah well, you know.. growing boys!"); Mana was covering the Noah with a blanket when he turned to look at Allen. "I know that you've been wondering about me, about whether or not I cared for you."

Allen's eyes turned large as he stared at the other boy and he felt himself flush with embarrassment. That wasn't something he actually wanted Mana to know! "I've been watching." He tapped under his left eye, answering the unasked question of how he knew. "Anyway, I wanted you to know that I've always cared and that I've always considered you family."

* * *

It had been several days since Link and the Bookman had returned from their mission, and Link was bored out of his mind. The Noah had made no movement and there were no signs that he was going to wake up anytime in the near future, but Link was still forced to monitor him 24/7.

The first day wasn't so bad since he was able to catch up on the various reports concerning the Noah, but now that there was nothing else to read, there was nothing else to do but sit around and twiddle his thumbs.

He sighed and rested his chin against his fist as he idly paged through a book about Alchemy. Occasionally, he glanced at the sleeping boy only to confirm that there was indeed no change in his condition.

When he was just about to go get some dinner, the Noah suddenly sat up, groaning and coughing. "That damn Colonel. I'm gonna wring _his_ neck when I see him!" he muttered under his breathe as his coughs subsided. Taking a steadying breathe, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and shakily got to his feet. It was about then that he noticed the Crow.

"Oh, perfect! Link, you can take me back to that room with the metal. You know the way, right? Great, lead the way!" He motioned for the blonde to get walking before even getting an affirmation.

Bewildered, he slowly led the Noah through the halls. It was clear from the way the Noah was limping, using the wall as a crutch and from the amount of sweat on his brow that he was far from being recovered, but the determined look deterred Link from mentioning anything, not that he would have said anything anyway. He wondered what was so important that he couldn't wait until he was fully recovered.

By the time the two reached the room, they had gathered a small crowd of angry people, but Fullmetal ignored them and their jeers. Link motioned that everyone should stay in the doorway and not enter the room.

Falling to his knees before the metal and wiping some sweat from his brow, he clapped his hands and touched the metal. Blue lightening danced and the metal slowly began to reform and move until it finally settled into the shape of a large suit of armor that was lying on the ground.

He then grasped the box carrying the chalk and dumped it out on the ground. Clapping his hands, he touched the chalk which formed into a large transmutation circle around the metal.

Looking up as if he just realized that he had an audience, he grinned mischievously, and some backed up nervously, wondering what he was going to do. "I'm gonna show you an awesome magic trick: I'm going to bring an inanimate object to life."

Before anyone could move, he clapped his hands again and touched the transmutation circle. Slowly, he brought his left hand to his left eye and retraced the scar, seemingly removing it. The Noah then removed the helmet and drew something on the inside of the body of the armor.

He sat back as the lightening died down, looking more gaunt and tired than he was before, if that were possible. The metal hand twitched.

"Brother!" Link stared at the armor. Did the voice just come from it? "You idiot! I told you to wait till you were recovered before trying something like this!"

"Couldn't wait. We need to get started with the cooking." Fullmetal slumped forward, but the armor caught him before he hit the ground, still admonishing the Noah even though he was clearly not listening.

"What.. the.. hell?" Link muttered in the dead silence. He was going to have one hell of a report to write later.

* * *

"Brother, what did you mean by saying sorry! You can do it yourself! You're going to make it home." Al's voice sounded exasperated and irritated, and Allen could picture in his mind Mana's arms waving around when he got agitated.

"Al… I'm not sure.. that I can."

"What is that supposed to mean?" There was a sound that sounded like a hand hitting a table.

"I… You know that there's more going on beside us… right?"

"You mean the homunculi?"

"Well, yes, them too. I meant, Amsteris in general, and even in this world. Because of us… because of _me_, our sins have crossed even worlds. Don't you see? I have to fix this, to correct _everything_, and in order to do that, I _have_ to do this. Besides, I don't have a body anymore, and the chances of fixing my soul to something immediately after crossing the Gate is near impossible."

"But it's possible! It's not _im_possible! Brother! Don't do this! You don't have to fix everything! This isn't your fault! You have to stop blaming yourself! Just come home..."

"Al, this is.. the only way.. the only path I can think of right now. And I have to at least get that bastard Colonel home..."

"He's a general now.."

"Will you at least help me?"

"No."

"Al…" Ed's voice sounded so tired.

"I won't help you unless you swear to me.. swear to me that you won't give up! You have to come home!"

"I.. I'll try, Al. I'll try. "

Allen pushed himself away from the stairwell. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but when he heard the two talking from the bedroom he was "borrowing," he couldn't help himself and wonder what they would talk about. But now that he had heard their conversation, he wondered exactly what Ed was planning.

There was only a growing list of questions. Maybe he ought to start writing them down and keep a physical list… Well, physical in the sense that he could see it.

* * *

Another update! Woo! Happy fourth! (Or belated..) Anyway, it's another record for me! But now I probably won't update for awhile especially since I have a big exam coming up that will more or less determine the rest of my life (and I'm not kidding…). Hahaha..ha… Wow, I really don't want to think about it.

As always, thank you for the reviews and support! Please continue to support me in the future!

~Razra

Title is a song by Thriving Ivory.


	8. It's a shame, but it's your honor

**Demons Only One**

**Chapter 8: It's a shame, but it's your honor**

Lavi avoided demon by twisting in the air. He landed on a roof that was still partially intact and immediately rolled into a stand while smashing another demon with his hammer. Behind him, he heard multiple explosions as Yu destroyed a small hoard of them.

As the red-head studied the situation around him trying to decide the next best course of action, he heard Yu softly land behind him. "Even though we expected there to be a lot of demons, this is much more than expected! Do you think there could be..?"

_Innocence?_

"Maybe," was the gruff reply. A silent understanding passed between the two of them and they jumped apart as another demon came careening at them.

* * *

Lenalee jumped, stomping on another demon before flipping in the air. Using her arms, she slowed down her rotation and took a moment to study the city around her. Oslo… She had heard that it was a beautiful city, and really, if one looked hard enough and had a vivid imagination, one could probably tell, but it was hard to focus on something like that when her mind was preoccupied with other thoughts.

_Allen…_

She came crashing down on a particularly round demon and then launched off of it to kick a hole through another one that attempted to fire some sort of missile at her. Flipping around, she noted where Krowly and Marie were before looking to see where she should go next.

She couldn't help but notice that almost every building in sight was demolished. There were cries of panic from those alive and screams of pain from those dying; something in Lenalee's heart started to shatter and it felt like her world would break into a million pieces. She knew what it felt like to lose someone close to one's heart…

_Allen…_

She could feel the tears start to fall, and yet, something still bothered her…

Wasn't this more demons than they expected?

* * *

Ed tried in vain to keep his mind from wandering, but it was hard when dark thoughts would cling to the edges of his consciousness and pull him deeper and deeper into his nightmares.

At first, the dreams were only vague shapes that were barely discernable in the dark, but the feelings that they left behind once his eyes were open were of dread that sunk to the bottom of his stomach and stayed there long into the day and would carry into the next nightmare. These feelings made him feel antsy and drove him from his hospital bed to the library, much to Al's chagrin.

He tried to hide the fact that he was having these nightmares, but felt that he was undoubtedly failing: the dark circles under his eyes got darker and darker and with each following day, he slept less and less.

As soon as Ed was in some semblance of order and had Al's reluctant permission, he would spend long hours "recuperating" in the library under the strict surveillance of Link and Al; Link would calmly scrutinize his every action from a nearby table scribbling in a notebook while Al would help him get books and chastise him muttering that he needed more bed rest, but nevertheless fetching the desired book. Al understood that Ed wanted to crack their father's code as soon as possible, but if Ed were to fall ill because of his haste, then what was the point? Yet there was no way that Al could get Ed to listen to him, not on something like this.

Focusing on the papers before him, Ed frowned. He felt a sense of foreboding, but he wasn't sure why… it almost felt like when they had finally decoded Dr. Marcoh's research…

There was definitely something going on… and Ed was pretty sure that he wasn't going to like it one bit.

* * *

A little less than a week into the decoding, Link's head snapped up as the Noah suddenly stood, sending his chair clattering to the floor; his eyes were wide as he stared in horror at the page before him. Blood seemed to drain from his face making the dark circles stand out more starkly against the pale skin. "No way," he gasped softly, then louder, "No fucking way."

He passed the papers slowly to Mana as his eyes stared blankly down, trying to digest whatever information he had discovered. He gulped, which seemed to Link that the Noah was trying not to hurl, as Mana gasped and quickly turned to look at his brother who was now staring at his abnormal left hand. "Y-you can't be serious!"

"It explains so much," he said softly, in horrified wonder. "The screaming, the pain…and.. even the circle."

Link quickly got up, allowing his own notes to fall forgotten to the floor, but before he could approach them and demand to know what they were talking about, the Noah and the suit of armor were out the door. Hastily, he chased after the brothers, head whipping around to see what direction they ran. _Why is he so fast? Isn't he not fully healed yet? _

In their blind haste, he watched as they turned down the wrong corridor and swore loudly: they were headed straight for the Arc, the one place where he was forbidden to let them go. Chasing after them, Link knew that it was futile; they would reach the Arc before he could stop them.

When he had finally caught up with the two, they were staring slack-jawed at the Arc. If anything, it seemed that in the short time Link didn't see the Noah, he had managed to get paler. Thinking quickly of a way to get the two to leave, the Crow carefully approached the brothers, but as the two looked on, several men walked out of it.

Fullmetal seemed to snap out of it before his brother did and stomped angrily over to Komui. "The hell do you think you're doing?" Suddenly, everyone in the area was aware of their presence and was on high alert, silently slipping out weapons. The few exorcists in the area activated their Innocence.

He grabbed Komui's collar. "Are you stupid?" He gestured towards the Arc. "You have no idea what you're playing with! The Arc is not something you can just glibly use with no consequences!"

"What do you mean?" Link had to give it to Komui; even under these circumstances, he was still calm.

The Noah roughly shoved the Supervisor away in disgust and the Chinese dropped his clipboard as he tried to regain his balance. "Are you kidding me? Why do humans always use things so carelessly without knowing the consequences?"

For a split second, Link saw an expression of pain on the Noah's face just before he quickly masked it with anger. Interesting. He wondered what that was about.

"Brother…" The suit of armor clanked as he stepped forward to put a comforting hand on the Noah's shoulder.

"Al… what have I done?" he muttered softly. The two exchange a soft conversation; all Link could hear of the conversation was:

"I know my handiwork when I see it…" and something about a "Gate."

After a few more hushed words, Fullmetal resolutely turned to face the Arc.

"I made it; I have to destroy it." He took a step toward it but was immediately faced with a small army as everyone in the near vicinity moved to protect the Arc. "You're kidding me, right? You're going to protect the stupid thing that's been slowly killing you?"

Their weapons lowered a fraction of an inch. Fullmetal took a deep breath trying to reign in his temper; his eyes studied the people who were blocking his path, and then he continued softly. "The Arc may be able to take you from one place to another almost instantaneously, but it's not for free; there's always a price. In this case, the price is the time remaining on your life. You're shortening your lives and killing yourselves without even realizing it!" He took a step forward and the weapons were once again immediately raised.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," he growled; his eyes flashed molten gold. "Are you all so willing to win this war that you would just throw your lives and innocent lives away?"

"Innocent lives? We don't kill the innocent."

"Fucking liars! You know exactly what I mean! After all, the Earl would have no need of such a plan! This whole fucking plan has to be your idea! Are you all so desperate to win the war that you're willing to kill thousands – no – millions of people?"

"What are you-?" Komui took a step forward but was interrupted.

"You-" The Noah moved forward preparing to punch the daylights out of the Chinese man, but was stopped by a metallic hand on his shoulder and a soft warning.

"Brother, he may not know anything about it. You know exactly what it can be like. After all, that time, _we _didn't know either, did we?" He paused and lowered his arm when his brother no longer looked like he was going to kill Komui. "It's probably someone higher up in the brass."

"Then, we'll have to find that person… but it could also be someone working from the shadows… it could even be another Noah for all we know, though, why it would be, I have no idea…" he muttered thoughtfully, brow creased in thought. "But then, it's not like they have all the screws in their heads… although, if I think of it that way, it could be the Earl's plan from the beginning…"

Suddenly, he clutched at his head and fell to his knees. "Shit, no, not now! They're- How did he even-" There seemed to be an internal struggle and everyone held their breath. Was this…? Could it be?

_Allen?_

"Brother! BROTHER!" The armor was clanging about frantically but no one in the room took notice. All attention was centered on Fullmetal.

However, when the Noah looked up, it wasn't with golden eyes, but with blank grey ones.

"A-allen?" Komui stepped forward uncertainly. There was hope in his voice, but it was carefully veiled.

The light seemed to come back into the grey eyes and they widened in realization. "Komui!" His head whipped around to look at the man. "You have to know he – Ed's -"

There was another brief struggle and molten eyes snapped up, locking eyes with Mana. There was a sheen to his brow, maybe from the effort of containing Allen? Though, if they shared the same mind, couldn't Fullmetal just destroy that portion of the mind? Or was there something else going on? Some risk or some other plan?

He took a deep breath. "Al, they're coming…"

"What?" Clank. His head snapped up to study their surroundings. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. It-" He struggled to get up. ("Brother! You shouldn't move too much! You aren't healed yet!") "It won't be long before they arrive… a day at soonest, half a week at latest… But knowing them…" He left the sentence hang as he turned to stare at the Arc. "We need to destroy it… If they take that back, the damage they could inflict will be immeasurable."

However, despite everything that had been going on, there were still many people standing between them and the Arc.

"Al, you're going to have to throw me."

"Are you stupi-"

"Dammit, Al! THROW ME!"

"Fine!" He picked up the Noah and began to spin as the world around them jumped into action. However, before anyone could reach the two, Fullmetal was sailing over them, avoiding arrows and other weapons with ease.

With a resounding clap, he collided with the Arc in a blaze of blue lightening…

…and then there was white.

* * *

It felt like someone was calling him...

_Lenalee? _

* * *

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHa..ha…ha.. Oops.. Sorry.. It's been awhile, hasn't it? Myyy bbaaddd….

No one probably cares, but I didn't fail the exam! Yay!

Anyway, see you again in a year! *shot* (Note: I may or may not be kidding… *shotgunned*)

But I hope that this chapter was interesting enough for you and whatever~ (And hopefully it didn't fail what with my long absense... OTL)

Thank you all for your support and sorry about the lack of updating!

~razra

Title is The Fray - Enough for Now


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